Back to the Ocean
by Loveableheart
Summary: 12 year old Saylor McMillan is entered into the 66th Hunger Games. A story of how one tribute lost her life in the terrible Games... .:I don't own Hunger Games:.


I never expected me to get reaped. But, that's what happened? Ever wondered why District 4 never has a Victor? Because they get stupid tributes like me... Like me... Twelve year old Saylor McMillan. Is it my fault that I'm only 12? No. Is it my fault that I've never trained? Yes. But I never imagined I'd have to actually use those skills...

We should win, right? Being a Career District and all... Nope... We haven't had a Victor since Annie Cresta, who won about six years ago, and that was by accident, though I respect her totally.

Huh? You want to know more about me? Well, I have blond hair, grey eyes, freckles, and I'm petite, and don't talk much. And I wasn't about to talk as I sat in the Launch room, tapping my foot on the floor, sipping water. My stylist walked in, and smiled.

"Don't worry, sweetie... You'll do fine... Mags, Finnick, and Annie say good luck... Now, don't worry about the Games," she titled my chin up. "You're a flower... Perfect in every-way and irresistible..." She held up the bag and I gave a sad smile. "I have you're clothes!"

I was wearing only a robe right now and under-garments. Nothing special. My stylist opened the bag and took out the clothes inside. There were cargo pants that went to mid-calf, a soft blue long-sleeved shirt, a black sleeve-less vest with four pockets on the front and some skin tight socks. I slipped my feet into the brown boots and laced them up.

My stylist pulled my hair into two loose pig-tails. I smiled at her. She smiled back at me and we hugged. She then held out my locket. My token. It was from my sister. She died about four years ago in the 66th Hunger Games. I took a deep breath. The I heard the words I dreaded.

"Tributes, prepare for launch..." I started to hyperventilate. Then, to make it worse, I bubbled up into tears.

My stylist immediately hugged me. I still cried, even though my eyes would get red and puffy. I didn't care anymore. "I don't want to die..." I whispered. "_I don't want to die!_"

She only squeezed harder. I took this as a good-bye. We both knew I'd never make it back... No twelve year old has ever won...

"10, 9, 8..."

I stopped the embrace and looked at the tube. Looked at the tube that would take me to my death...

"7, 6, 5..."

I stepped inside, fear of what rest above of me. Fear of something I never wanted to experience...

"4, 3, 2..."

I took a look at my stylist, who was crying too. The glass lowered. I was beyond help now...

"1, 0..."

I felt it rise and one hand against the glass, mouthed. "Good-bye," then closed my eyes and hugged my locket.

I felt sunlight blind my eyes. I looked up and felt the plate click into place, and my vision focused. I shifted my view straight ahead. I came face-to face with the Cornucopia and it's bounty of food, medicine, and weapons. I took and deep breath.

Looking around, I noticed it was warm. I saw the trees and my mind jumped to a word I'd seen in text-books. _A Jungle._ No wonder why they chose the outfits. I can almost reach a tree on the dirt ground, moss just behind my plate. There's a big clearing we're in, and I think I hear a waterfall, but other than that it's a nice big jungle and the azure sky.

I start to count down the seconds in my head. _50, 49, 48, 47, 46, 45... _I'm between Popcorn, the District 11 fifteen year old tribute. She looks at and winks, then positions herself to run. I always knew I liked her. I take that little sign as a promise not to hurt me. At least, not yet. Anyway, the other person is the District 2 boy. I frown. Great.

Mean, and vicious Leo is sure to cause me some problems... Hopefully I get far enough away from the Careers before they can even think about me. Although, I doubt they'll pay any attention to the girl who got a six in training.

He looks at me, his green eyes cold, then turns back. Would he have a problem killing me? He towers over me and quite frankly, it wouldn't take two punches from him to bring me down... I bite my lip and return to counting.

_25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20... _The other twelve year old girl is across me from. I think her name was Violet. Anyway, she's turned her back on the Cornucopia totally, focused on the forest. No doubt when we begin, she'll run away. That's probably the best idea. I'm not too keen on running into the thick of things... But what will it matter?

I catch Leo staring at me. Is it a look of pity? Surly it has to be. I can just imagine my face. Eyes puffy and red. Oh well. I look at my District partner, Fish. No, I don't _look _at him. I scowl. Glare. He joined the Careers. I hate him... Finnick didn't seem to like him. Cocky, arrogant, and straight down rude. He rolls his eyes. I don't think he'd exactly chase me down, but if I got in his way, he'd have no problem taking me out.

_5, 4, 3, 2, 1... _Sure enough, my counting was right. The gong rings out and everyone runs. I leap off and quickly run into the forest, heart racing. I take off towards the sound of the waterfall. Maybe I can find shelter for a little while, though I probably won't last very long.

Sure enough, I find a nice little tree to camp in near the waterfall. I heard the cannons, all thirteen of them. I watch the sky as it lights up with the Anthem, the crest, and soon pictures. I count them all off on my fingers.

Both from District 3, the girl from six, the boy from seven, both from eight, both from 9, both from 10, the boy from 11, and both from 12. All the Careers made it. So did Popcorn but not... Oh no... Poor Violet...

I think back to the Cornucopia, trying to see if I saw anything. And I did. Fish chasing after her with a spear. I shudder and feel tears sting my eyes. I swipe them away angrily. But more come. This is how I fall slowly to sleep.

It's just morning when I hear voices. "So, who do we need to pick off next?" I hear one say. Wait... that's Fish's voice... The Careers! My breathing turns hard and my heart starts to race again... Can they hear it?

"I don't know... The small ones? Who'd you get, Shimmer?" I recognize that one too. It's Leo's.

"Oh, you know. Just the District 3 girl, both of the idiots from 8, and the girl from 9. Wait... and the boy from 10." I hear a girl's voice respond.

"And you?" Asks Leo's voice.

"The District 3 boy, District 7 boy, and the boy from 9..." This is a male's voice I don't recognize, but I guess it's the District 1 boy talking.

"Fish, you?"

"The District girl from 6 and 12." I swallow and think of Violet... Poor Violet...

"What about you, Clover?"

"Oh... Only the District 12 boy. I'm waiting..." I hear the District 2 girl's voice respond.

"Alright... I got two. My point was to collect things. I got the girl from 10 and the boy from 11... Alright, that leaves... Us, both from 5, the boy from 6 & the girl from 7, the girl from 10, the girl from 11, and... Oh yeah, you're District partner, Fish. Who's a threat, who's not?" I hear Leo say. Wow... So, only 11 tributes left... And no one else but the Careers are in an alliance, so practically 6 tributes left. But, the forest is huge. It'll be hard to track everyone down, right?

That's when I feel it. The tickling in my nose... I can't stop it and before I know it... A little sneeze comes out.

"What was that?" I hear Shimmer ask.

"Look! In the tree!" It's Clover who spots me and then I hear feet break into a run. I immediately jump down and run. I can slip through small little vines and things... Maybe I can loose them. My eyes look from tree to tree and I try to find somewhere to hide. I can hear their feet getting closer and hear the whizzing of a knife. I duck just in time and the blade sinks into the tree in front of me.

I look back for a moment and find Shimmer grabbing another one from her belt to throw at me. Fish looks at me, and sets his jaw. I glare at him. Then, I face forward and keep running. Her next knife misses too, but only by a hair. Finally I hear them stop running, but I don't. I keep going for maybe ten minutes.

_Is it over? Are they still there? _I cautiously stop and look around. I don't see anyone. I look behind me. No-one... Why'd they stop? Then I find out why. I turn around and face forward and scream. Then the knife pierces my stomach. I fall to the mossy ground and curl myself around the weapon in pain. How cruel... To make me think I got away, then to do this.

I hear the rest of them arrive. "Oh... I thought it was someone older..." I heard Leo say.

"You mean someone that's actually a threat?" I hear Fish say. I can't see him through my tears, but I hope he feels bad for everything that's happening, even though he probably won't. "Anyway, good job Shimmer..."

"Thanks," the girl replies.

"She's kind of cute," says Clover, then she pauses. "Oh well."

"How should we kill her? Throat? Spear? Strangulation? Sword? Hm? Any ideas?" I hear the boy from 1 say.

I hear Leo sigh. "Why don't we just let it be fast?" Is a Career actually going to leave me alone? Let me die in peace, maybe? "Get the knife and stab her or something. Make it quick." Nope. It has to be painful, even if swift, for any Career.

I feel Shimmer reach for the knife but curl myself up around it even more. She folds her arms. "Don't make this harder than it has to be."

She reaches for it again, but I give the same reaction. "Fine," she snaps. "Make it that way..."

"Good-bye, District four!" I hear Clover say before their feet disappear, and I'm left alone. I don't look at the knife... Don't look at the wound. I'll bleed to death in minutes... I try not to think about where I am, exactly. I think of all the good-times I had before this:

Getting my pet fish, talking to my sister, my birthdays, swimming in the ocean, walking on the beach, learning to sail a boat... All things I loved... But that was taken away so quickly by the Capitol... By the Games...

_Don't worry... _A little voice tells me. _You're going back... Going home... Going to the ocean... You're not just a piece... Not Just A Piece... Go to sleep, Saylor..._

And guess what? I do... I go to sleep and then Go to the ocean...

Back to the ocean.

* * *

**Tragic, but that's the story of Saylor McMillan and her time in the Games. Her short, short time in the cruel Arena. Now, what did everyone think of this story? I typed it up, and I couldn't stop writing. I wanted to write from the point of view of not a Victor, but a Victim to show the horror of the Games from the young and innocent mind. I really liked this character, and I may include her in some of my other Hunger Games stories... Maybe. **

**And if you want some more info on the 66th Games, here: Shortly after Saylor's death, the Career pack ran into to some piousness flowers and the District 1 nameless boy and Clover both fell at it's hands. Over the course of two more weeks, the tributes battled their way through storms, mutts, poison, and fights until Popcorn won against Leo. During her interview, she mentioned Saylor, and watched her death on the TV, and did say she had wanted her as an ally, but didn't ask in time. And yes, she ended up killing Leo and Shimmer. **

**Anyway, I really hoped you all liked it... Well, not the exact _topic _but, the writing style and how everything was worded and... Stuff... So, tell me what you thought and make me smile by reviewing! Thanks for reading! Tell me if you thought someone else should have won, or how you felt when Saylor died. **

**Bye,**

**~Meghan**


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